Lapland New Forest Scam. How to get money back...

essexlander_2

EdnaCloud wrote: »

If it's only ever run on red then that might be the prob. The dye in the fuel eventually blocks the injectors, ho hum, anyway a blast up the A12 to Colchester (or A14 to Ipswich) and then hack it fast on the A14 to newmarket should clear the injectors. Trubble is once past there it's slow in every direction but that may be a good start for Lapland-to-go.

I also got toys from a very cheap source in Devon a while back. Theyr'e a bit water damaged and salt stained so haven't been able to shift them from my Luxury Goods Emporium (PObox 69, Shed2, wassock trailer park, NN37 5UP) so between us we have a good start. But we're not in anyway related yeah? See you in the lay-by at Needham.

Dun some costings and think the charge should be 30 - if we undersell the punters will think we are scammers like the rest, but with a higher price tag it'll seem far more [strike]genin, jenune, genune,[/strike] real

Best
Rod Bognopper III (no relation)

right so if i go and aguire sum more diesel roar down the A12 to colchester back again pick up some gear on me way past then down to needham and lay-by will be up and running see ya there
ps is it worth me while filling a flask with watered down mulled wine ?could make a few more quids??

GomerPyle

Anything's possible Edna, but now's not the time for me to do the 'bull in a china shop' thing, though when I went off before, there was method in my madness. Once the money's gone, all that's left is a sense of injutice and people feeling they've been stitched up again and there's no point bothering. There was already a head of steam here and elsewhere and maybe my action was pointless, but the alternative was to wait and see, which plays into the hands of the 'perps'.

I'll play the madman or the fool if it achieves a purpose and take any flak that's going. I am encouraged by the work of Staffs Council and the various newspapers that have written fine investigative pieces. Now is the time to press on while it is still fresh in everyone's memory and still considered newsworthy.

Keeping it going over Christmas may be difficult but if the matter can be raised with the FSA, which I think is quite justified, then that may offer the best chance of an overall settlement to those involved, who don't see any way to gain recompense.

I'm no stranger to the FSA, so I'll mull that over and consider how best to raise the matter with them, if I can.

EdnaCloud

essexlander wrote: »

right so if i go and aguire sum more diesel roar down the A12 to colchester back again pick up some gear on me way past then down to needham and lay-by will be up and running see ya there
ps is it worth me while filling a flask with watered down mulled wine ?could make a few more quids??

Brill idea - but don't let anyone know - i fink the lisensing people might say sumat about that!

You got a tow bar on that tranny? Cos Ive got an old trailer (used to carry the old orse manure in it till the animal police took the orses) we could get a pond liner from B&Q and fill it with water, in this whether it'll be ice by the time we pick it up from my gaff - hey presto, a skating rink!

Jhon Bognopper-Meers (no relation)

whitewing

As someone who was thinking of going to Lapland New Forest, I thoroughly agree that ANYBODY and EVERYBODY who bought tickets of whatever value should be entitled to a FULL refund. Keep fighting, folks. Don't be fobbed off.

______________________________________________________________

ATTENTION PLEASE! Added mid-Jan 2009: Just as a reminder, the latest Lapland New Forest Refund Guide is here:

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?p=17633351#post17633351

EdnaCloud

GomerPyle wrote: »

Anything's possible Edna, but now's not the time for me to do the 'bull in a china shop' thing, though when I went off before, there was method in my madness.

Please don't think I was suggesting any knee-jerk 'bull in a china shop' action, I was merely asking your advice as one more knowledgeable than I as to whether this situation could be continued as a case action. I wasn't expecting you to mount arms and fight again - you've done your tour of duty admirably!

Once the money's gone, all that's left is a sense of injutice and people feeling they've been stitched up again and there's no point bothering. There was already a head of steam here and elsewhere and maybe my action was pointless, but the alternative was to wait and see, which plays into the hands of the 'perps'.

Agreed, but we do not know if the money has gone (suspect it has though :-( ) but doesn't that make argument for pursuing the financial organisations that handled this even greater? You alluded to that most eloquently in a previous post - attempting to reclaim anything from the perpetrators is likely to be a fool's errand, but probably has to be done for completeness in subsequent claims from financial institutions (or more precisely in some cases their underwriters).

I'll play the madman or the fool if it achieves a purpose and take any flak that's going.

An oscar for those roles should be on it's way to you now!

I am encouraged by the work of Staffs Council and the various newspapers that have written fine investigative pieces. Now is the time to press on while it is still fresh in everyone's memory and still considered newsworthy.

Indeed, my sentiments completely.

Keeping it going over Christmas may be difficult but if the matter can be raised with the FSA, which I think is quite justified, then that may offer the best chance of an overall settlement to those involved, who don't see any way to gain recompense.

I'm no stranger to the FSA, so I'll mull that over and consider how best to raise the matter with them, if I can.

Your continued attention to this is noteworthy and I am sure I will not be alone in thanking you for your assistance.

P.S. After you have considered the matter and make your (almost certain) complaint against various financial bodies, would this be a mulled whine? If so do you have a licence to publish it?;)

Wishing you and yours and the list in general a good holiday season.

Edna book this eve

GomerPyle

As far as I can tell Edna, the money hasn't gone, and if it should turn out it has, maybe I'll revert to my demented personna.:rotfl:

One of my good/bad qualities is tenacity and being unable to allow a matter rest, Not good for my health and doesn't make me universally popular, but I've lived like that too long to change now.

There is more to come out about this affair as I hinted earlier, but I won't say anything to cause this forum unease, especially as I am a new member here.

To give my brain a rest I noticed this article here

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/travel/best_of_britain/article5294424.ece?token=null&offset=12&page=2

Britain's best Christmas attractions - some free - all properly and professionally run

A small selection

QUOTE
There is, however, a Lapland in Britain that really will bring a sparkle to your kids’ eyes, and you’ll find it below - along with a stocking full of fairs, markets, choirs, parades, roasting robins, frantic fiddlers, freezing swimmers, skating snowmen, figgy puddings, falsetto sock puppets and multilingual talking reindeer, all guaranteed genuinely festive and garden shed-free.

For a Christmas market with character, try Bankside Winter Festival (https://www.visitsouthwark.com ) - outside Tate Modern - which will open with an atmospheric lantern parade on Friday. There’ll be more than 40 gifts and handicrafts stalls, with a boat parade of Thames cutters on Saturday and husky-sled rides for the under12s that weekend and the one following.
The biggest fair in town, though, is the second Hyde Park Winter Wonderland, which runs through to January 4 (www. hydeparkwinterwonderland.com ). It might be a bit theme-park-ish for some, but the free-to-enter event was a roaring success last year - as more than 500,000 visitors will testify. This time around, they’ve added a 200ft toboggan snowslide to the big wheel, skating rink, helter-skelter, rides, stalls and cafes.
UNQUOTE

One even offers a hug a husky photo for your child - cost £4. Maybe, if you can afford it, one of those places will help to heal your children's disappointment.

essexlander_2

EdnaCloud wrote: »

Brill idea - but don't let anyone know - i fink the lisensing people might say sumat about that!

You got a tow bar on that tranny? Cos Ive got an old trailer (used to carry the old orse manure in it till the animal police took the orses) we could get a pond liner from B&Q and fill it with water, in this whether it'll be ice by the time we pick it up from my gaff - hey presto, a skating rink!

Jhon Bognopper-Meers (no relation)

yep tow bar fitted no need for a liner i got some plastic sheet here that'll do the job and if my mate can have a cut of the profit he can go to thetford and get this.............. get us areal deer to prop up beside the van how good is that!

EdnaCloud

GomerPyle wrote: »

As far as I can tell Edna, the money hasn't gone, and if it should turn out it has, maybe I'll revert to my demented personna.:rotfl:

One of my good/bad qualities is tenacity and being unable to allow a matter rest, Not good for my health and doesn't make me universally popular, but I've lived like that too long to change now. **snip**

Gomer:
No offense was intended and if I did cause offence please accept my apologies. We seem to be echoing each other anyway, and I will be considering this matter, amongst others, until resolution.

List:
Re other Christmas events, there are, of course, thousands. The best one for me, however, is preparing my house for family and visitors (no rubbish lights, no crummy plastic junk) just a warm welcome and a heartwarming drink or two. Then the arrival of the little ones - not the elves, but my grandchildren and they are *far* naughtier!

We all attend Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve - a good way to get young ones to sleep until a reasonable time the following morning. There's no reindeer, no huskies, no burger vans and no skating rink. It is wonderful though.

EdnaCloud

essexlander wrote: »

yep tow bar fitted no need for a liner i got some plastic sheet here that'll do the job and if my mate can have a cut of the profit he can go to thetford and get this.............. get us areal deer to prop up beside the van how good is that!

Were on the move then! What cut does he want? 250 was the rent paid for the feild in wolves so for a deer it'd better not be that dear. say a pony? seems reasonable for a deer. if we make a good turn and the product is ok maybe we could tuck him a a lady godiva as a bonus. If it's really good we might stretch to an Ayrton. Depends on what you think.

What tranny is it? Does it have wood lining? if so my mate can spray a nativity on the cab partion - that would really wow the crowds - as long as it can be in yellow blue, green and dayglo orange cos he works on the roads and those are the only colors we can get easy. He's OK tho, I've seen his work all over the pavement round here.

Rockin' lapland all around the land!

GomerPyle

No Edna - you didn't offend me at all - in fact I have found your comments supportive and they are much appreciated.

I know this is old news, but it has been reported by the BBC and is relevant to what we have been discussing

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/dorset/7770161.stm
.
QUOTE
Dorset County Council's trading standards said it wants to take action but was getting advice.
In a statement it said: "We want to take legal action and are currently taking advice from a specialist consumer barrister and the Office of Fair Trading in order to make sure we are in the strongest position to move forward.
"The council is looking into a range of legal options, including how to help consumers get their money back and the action that can be taken against Lapland New Forest Limited for misleading consumers.
"We cannot give any further details, as this might prejudice any legal action we do decide to take, which will not help consumers."
People trying to obtain refunds should write to the registered address of Lapland New Forest which they can obtain through Consumer Direct.
UNQUOTE

There's no reason at all for anyone wanting their money back to give up hope yet. There are the usual avenues that have been discussed, but this gives hope that all may be refunded - but let's not get too excited too soon.

At the moment we can take satisfaction that those responsible for this fiasco won't have a very Merry Christmas, certainly not a greedy gloating one that they planned.

... and if Dorset County Council take the right action and achieve a fair result I'll, doff my hat to them too.

... and yet more information. Might as well get it all down and recorded.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article5299242.ece

QUOTE
Last night trading standards officers said they had discovered that the organisers of both events, who had earlier denied any connection, have addresses in the same road in Christchurch, Dorset...............................................................................................
............................
He claimed it was a totally different event to Lapland New Forest. But Jimmy James, one of his business partners, is the brother of Matthew James, who owns a holiday park close to the New Forest venture.
Jimmy James said: “My brother saw Lapland New Forest and told me about the event going on in that area. I decided to do the same thing up here. I have nothing to do with those people whatsoever.”

UNQUOTE

Reports that Vic "Santa's Grotto" Mears has been sighted hiding in the woods have been proven to be unfounded.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/08/uk_lapland_new_forest/html/7.stm